


Impressing the Detective

by Antarctic_Echoes



Series: Lucifer and Friends [7]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Humor, super fluff, super silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:50:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7928446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antarctic_Echoes/pseuds/Antarctic_Echoes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucifer works hard to impress Chloe by introducing her and Trixie to a new monster, Anguirus.  Meanwhile, Chloe finally finds out that Lucifer really is the Devil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impressing the Detective

**Author's Note:**

  * For [General_Zargon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/General_Zargon/gifts).



> Special acknowledgement goes out to General_Zargon, who suggested the idea of how Chloe discovers that Lucifer really is the Devil. Thank you so much for the plot bunny, General_Zargon -- you're awesome! I hope the tale doesn't disappoint!
> 
> A super-duper huge thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme! You are absolutely awesome! Thank you!!!
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: All "Lucifer" characters belong to Vertigo Comics, DC Comics, Warner Brothers, Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey, and everyone else involved with the Lucifer TV show and comic books. Godzilla and Anguirus belong to Toho Co. Ltd., Legendary Pictures, Warner Brothers Pictures, Tanaka Tomoyuki, Honda Ishiro, Tsuburaya Eiji, and everyone else who ever had anything to do with these guys. I own nothing and make no money on this. I merely am borrowing the characters for... uh... writing practice.

 

 

Lucifer Morningstar was completely flummoxed.

How did he make a human fall in love with him?  And not just any human, but a beautiful, stunning, lovely woman who was completely impervious to his angelic charms and who could not be impressed by _anything?_  How did one make such a completely gorgeous enigma fall in love?

So far he had tried to impress Chloe with a fire-breathing lizard, a three-headed dragon, a giant moth and a huge pteranodon, and she laughed at them.  Laughed!  Said they looked completely fake and rubbery!  How could this even be possible?!

It frustrated the fallen angel to death -- well, if he could die.  He had thought he was dying for a while, then recently found out that he wasn’t dying at all -- he was instead head over heels in love with the detective!  A shocking revelation, to be sure.  The Devil didn’t fall in love! And yet....  He couldn’t imagine being anywhere except near her and her little spawn.  They made him... happy.

Of course, ever since that discovery, he found that he just didn’t know how to handle this new, dreaded human emotion.  It was very upsetting to his self-control.  Being the lovesick fool that he was, he couldn’t even look at her without casting bloody sheep's eyes at her!  And the fluttery, butterfly feeling in his stomach whenever he caught sight of her?  Ugh!  It disgusted him to no end.  At least that’s what he told himself.  In truth, it ramped up his excitement to such high levels that he sometimes thought he was flying.

He hoped that maybe -- maybe? -- she had feelings for him too, but it was so hard to tell with her.  Had she been a regular human, he wouldn’t have had to do anything.  He could have just walked in the room and they’d be having sex on the floor within minutes!

But that was the thing.  Chloe Decker wasn’t a regular human.  Oh no, she was so much more than that -- she was special.  Mysterious.  Lovely.  Sexy --  Bloody hell, he really had to stop thinking along these dangerous lines, otherwise he was liable to sweep her off her feet and kiss her senseless!  And then what would happen?  

She’d shoot him, that’s what would happen.

No....  He needed to make absolutely sure she was in love with him before he tipped his hand and let her know of his feelings.  It was the only way.

He sat across from her now in the police station, gazing -- with sheep's eyes, no doubt -- at her lovely bent head as she worked diligently on a stack of reports.  The woman worked far too hard -- she needed some excitement in her life.  There had to be something that would impress her!

Pulling a yellow post-it note from its pad, he wadded the paper up and threw it at the detective.  It hit her square in the head, but she didn’t look up.  Frowning, Lucifer tried again, throwing another wad of paper at her.  And another.  And another.  And another --

 _“What?”_ she snarled, finally glaring up at him.

Ah!  She looked at him!  Good, good.  That was progress....  “Hello, Detective!”

“What the -- you’re throwing things at me just to say hello?!”

He grinned.  “I heard it’s a good way to catch someone’s attention, although I do believe it was supposed to be french fries --”

“What are you, ten?!”  

Ahhh, he loved seeing her fire!  Such anger!  Such passion!  It thrilled him to the very core of his being, making him want to lay her right on the table and have sex with her in front of everybody.  Oh, he could just imagine her impassioned moans as he took her to the very heights of Heaven --

Blinking, he realized that the detective was staring at him with an odd expression on her face.  Panic filled him.  Had he been casting sheep's eyes at her again?  Had he tipped his hand too early?  Then he realized that his face was hot.  Very hot.  Oh no... no no no....  

“Are you blushing?” she asked with narrowed eyes, as she set down her pen.

The fallen angel cleared his throat.  “Please, Detective -- the Devil does not blush!  I was… just thinking of having sex with you.”  His voice started at regular volume but petered out quickly, so that by the time he got to the end of the sentence, it was unintelligible.  He cringed at his words.  Hopefully she hadn’t heard the last part.  Bloody hell!  She had him so tied up in knots....

Rising from her chair, she approached and sat on the desk beside him.  For a long moment she studied him carefully, like he was some sort of strange puzzle.  Lucifer thought he could see a little merriment in her eyes -- well, he hoped so, at least.

Oh bloody hell, she was so close -- if he just reached out, he could run his hand up and down her leg....

“I can’t figure you out,” she said.  “Most of the time you’re such an ass... but every once in a while I see someone who is incredibly sweet.  Who are you, Lucifer Morningstar?”

His eyes snapped from her leg to her eyes.  Ah.  Something he could answer!  “I told you, Detective.  I’m the --”

“Devil.  Right.”  With a sigh, she stood up and returned to her desk.  “Pull the other one, Lucifer.”

“But I am!  Truly, Detective!”

Leaning on her desk toward him, her face suddenly serious, she said, “Prove it.”

“Oh.  Right... ah.  Very well.  This Friday, then.”  Oh bloody hell, what did he just get himself into?  He couldn’t show her his Devil face -- she’d go mad!  There had to be another way.  Perhaps another monster?  Yes, yes, that’s what he’d do....

Nodding to himself, he realized that life suddenly felt better.  He’d prove he was the Devil, impress her beyond belief, and they’d end up having fantastic sex at his flat in the evening, which of course would last well into the next day or two... or three.  Maybe all week!  Yes, yes, everything was looking rosy....

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Friday couldn’t come fast enough for Lucifer.

He had made all his plans: pick up the detective and her little one, share a picnic basket full of food personally made by him, and have Godzilla and a friend meet them at El Pescador State Beach.  Surely that would prove to the detective that he was the Devil?  

Sighing heavily, Lucifer reflected on another evening with the big monsters.  Bloody hell.  He was in such playdate debt with Godzilla it wasn’t even funny....  The greedy beast wanted to play with the detective’s little spawn constantly!  At least he was working off his deal with the big monster at an accelerated rate.  It wouldn’t be too long before he’d be free and clear of any monsters for a long time....

When he reached Chloe’s house, he waltzed right in with his picnic basket.  He was too eager to go through the old rigmarole of being polite and knocking.  The little spawn waylaid him in the kitchen, barreling into him like a torpedo -- it made him yelp in distress as he tried his best not to touch her.

“Lucifer!” Trixie cried, smiling up at him with a huge grin.  “I can’t wait for tonight!”

“Ah.  Right.  Yes, child.  I’m... glad.”  Oddly enough, he _was_ glad -- making the child happy gave him a warm and cuddly feeling in his chest.  Wait -- did he just refer to the feeling as cuddly?!  Oh bloody hell, he had it _really_ bad.

“Who are we going to see today?” she asked, jumping up and down as she clutched at his waist.

“Godzilla, child, and his friend.  Someone you haven’t yet met.”

“Ooooh,” she said gleefully.  Lucifer was happy to see her so very excited.  He could only hope that her mother would be equally impressed.

Chloe came into the kitchen at that moment, looking just stunning in her blouse and slacks.  As she pulled on her jacket, she said, “Lucifer, I’m really sorry but I have to work later.  I can accompany you and Trixie to the beach, but after that I’m going to have to go to the station.  I’ll make it up to you, though.  Can we go out tomorrow night?”

Disappointment flooded Lucifer, but he was buoyed by the thought of a date -- surely it would be a date? -- with the detective the following night.  He had known from a few days ago that the little spawn had a sleepover on Saturday, so that meant he’d have Chloe all to himself.  Maybe... all to himself all night...?

“Very well, Detective,” he said.  “At least you’ll be able to see the new monster Godzilla has brought.  Surely he will impress you!”

The look she gave him -- filled with skepticism -- didn’t give him much confidence, but _this_ time she would believe... wouldn’t she?

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

When they reached the beach, the sun was just setting.  Trixie was out of her mother’s car in a flash, running to the cliffside with excitement.  Jumping up and down, she pointed down at the beach below and cried, “Mommy!  Mommy, you have to see the new monster!  Hurry!”

Lucifer walked slowly with the detective, glancing at her expression a few times to try to gauge her reaction.  “I hope this convinces you I’m the Devil,” he said.   _And impresses you,_ he added in his head.

Chloe let out a chuckle.  “I highly doubt that, Lucifer.  You are _not_ the Devil.  Eventually you’re going to have to leave your delusions behind and face that fact at some point.”

Right.  This wasn’t starting off well.

Upon reaching the edge of the cliff, the two adults looked down at the new beast below.  Trixie had already rushed down to stare wide-eyed at the monster quadruped -- a mutated type of ankylosaurus with spikes all over his carapace and horns on his head and nose.  Chloe stared down at the monster -- and laughed.

“Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer,” she said, shaking her head.  “When are your Hollywood people going to give up and realize I can’t be fooled by shoddy construction?”

Oh no.  No no no nonono....

Almost afraid to ask, Lucifer whispered, “You... you think he’s fake?”

Chloe gave him a condescending look.  “You can’t fool me, Lucifer.  I mean, seriously?  Look at him!  Those spikes are so obviously fake, and that rhino horn?  Come on!  If your Hollywood people are going to be making these dinosaurs, at least make them look like real dinosaurs!”

Shoulders slumped, Lucifer nodded.  “Right.  You don’t think I’m the Devil and you aren’t impressed.”

Chuckling, the detective leaned over and patted his cheek.  “You’re too sweet to be the Devil, Lucifer.  Thanks for taking care of Trixie -- I’ll see you later.”

And with that, she was gone.

Trixie, meanwhile, oohed and ahhed at the big dinosaur, and called to the fallen angel excitedly.  “What’s his name, Lucifer?  What’s his name?”

As he descended the stairs, he called out, “Anguirus.  He’s Godzilla’s best friend.”

At the sound of his name, Godzilla lifted his head from where he was sunning himself further down on the beach, and gave a rumble of greeting.  Trixie immediately ran to her big friend and gave him a big hug, before dashing back to the newcomer.

“You’re so spiky!” she said, admiring his back.  Anguirus preened for her, looking quite pleased.  “You’re really cute!”

The big mutated dinosaur grinned happily, and nudged her with his cheek.  He couldn’t use his nose, because of his horn.  Trixie gave him a hug.

“I like you!” she cried.  “You’re like a big horse -- well, kind of!”

Anguirus tossed his head and let out a cry that sounded like a wail.  The little girl turned to Lucifer with distress.  “He sounds sad,” she said.

“He always sounds sad, that’s how he talks,” the tall man said with a grin.  “He wants to give you a ride.”

Trixie’s face lit up like the sun.  “Wow!  Where do we sit?”  

Lucifer swung the girl up in his arms and climbed aboard Anguirus’s neck.  It wasn’t the most comfortable of seats, but Lucifer sat Trixie in front of him and, holding on to her securely, gripped the monster’s neck with his legs.  Very carefully the dinosaur got to his feet and started to move across the sand.

Faster and faster Anguirus went, with Trixie and Lucifer whooping and cheering, until they were moving faster than the wind.  Godzilla joined in, racing them a few times before he stopped to sit down by the rocks.  Anguirus pulled up next to his friend and deposited his passengers back down on the beach.

“That was so much fun!” Trixie yelled up to her big friends.  “You’re the best!”

The two monsters looked at each other and grinned.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Later, Lucifer and Godzilla watched Trixie play hide and seek with Anguirus.  The big dinosaur wasn’t very good at hiding, but the little girl made sure not to find him too soon.  Lucifer found it kind of sweet, which made him rub his chest uncomfortably.  Bloody hell, these newfound emotions were just killing his Devil image!

Godzilla glanced at him and rumbled.

“No, she still doesn’t believe,” the fallen angel answered the big lizard.

The monster grinned and issued another rumble.

Lucifer glanced up at him with annoyance.  “Right, and how do you propose I do that?  Just walk up to her and say, ‘I’m in love with you’?  Are you mad?  I mean -- bloody hell, I don’t even know what she feels about me!  Perfection right in her midst and she just walks right past -- I don’t understand it!”

Chuffing out a laugh, Godzilla let out a long growl.

“Easy for you to say.   _Nothing_ I’ve done has impressed her so far.”

The lizard rumbled again, which made Lucifer stare at his friend in horror.

“What?!  No!  I can’t do that!”  At Godzilla’s rumble, he cried, “Because she’d go mad, that’s why!”

The great beast sighed, and rumbled.  Lucifer looked at him doubtfully.

“You really think she needs to know the true me to love me?”

Godzilla rolled his eyes and issued a low growl.

“And you’re sure this will work?”

The monster nodded enthusiastically.  

“Right.  Very well, I’ll try it.”  Holding up his finger to the lizard, he warned, “But this goes horribly wrong, I’m holding you accountable.”

The large lizard issued a long rumble.

“Bloody hell, are you serious?!  You want _more_ time with the child?!”

Another rumble had Lucifer staring at his friend in horror.

 _“And_ chocolate cake?!”

Godzilla only grinned.

“Oh, very well,” Lucifer grumbled.  “If it works I’ll add another playdate with some chocolate cake to your never-ending stack of playdates, you greedy beast.”

A chuffing laugh from Godzilla had the fallen angel shaking his head and chuckling ruefully along with the monster.  “Soft,” he muttered to himself.  “I’m getting softer than one of the little spawn’s bloody plushy toys....”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Lucifer arrived at the detective’s house the next evening, dressed in a smart black suit with a burgundy silk shirt.  Before he got out of his Corvette, he glanced at himself in his rearview mirror and ran a hand through his hair.  Did he look all right?  He really couldn’t tell if she would find him acceptable.  He looked like perfection in his own eyes and in the eyes of most humans, but Chloe was not most humans.  Panic that she might not find him attractive gave him a case of nerves.  After clearing his throat and straightening his black tie, he hopped out of the car and grabbed the bouquet of roses he had on the passenger car seat.  The spring in his step could not be disguised as he walked up to the door and knocked.

Chloe opened the door, wearing a pretty red dress that took Lucifer’s breath away.  It was cut low, but not unfashionably so, and had a long slit up the side that gave him a good glimpse of her long legs.  Oh, how he wanted to just grab her and lay her down right there on the entryway tiles and make sweet, sweet love to her --

Oh no.  There was that heat filling his face again.  Bloody hell, was he casting sheep’s eyes at her again, as well?

Hiding his face behind the bouquet he thrust at her, he said, “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful detective.”

“Oh, thank you!”  She took them and walked back inside the house, leaving him to follow in her wake.  

Kicking the door shut behind him, Lucifer asked, “Has the little spawn left for her sleepover?”

From the kitchen, Chloe called back, “Yes!  I’m sorry I’ve already eaten dinner -- Trixie wanted company.  Lucifer, come in, I can’t talk to you from there!”

The fallen angel ambled into the kitchen and leaned against the counter as he watched her fill a vase with water.  The sight of her long, slender fingers carefully arranging the flowers in the container made Lucifer’s heart beat faster.  How would those fingers feel against his body?  Stroking the back of his neck, running across and down his chest, caressing his --

“So I thought since I’ve already eaten, that maybe just drinks and dancing might be okay for tonight?” Chloe asked, interrupting his X-rated thoughts.  “There’s a new club that just opened....”

“Oh.  Right.  Good idea.”  Lucifer blinked.  He had no idea what she had been saying.

Then he realized that now would be a good time to do what Godzilla had recommended -- show her his real self.  Surely it would prove he was the Devil!  She’d be impressed by everything he’d done up to now, and they’d fall into bed immediately and have wild, passionate sex until the early morning hours....

“Let me get my purse,” Chloe said as she walked to the other room.

“Right.  Detective... I have proof that I’m the Devil,” he called to her.

“Really?” he heard her yell back.  

“I don’t want you to be scared....” he said as his Devil face came to the fore.  He waited for her to return to him.

She chuckled from the other room; he could hear her footsteps as she approached.  “Right, Lucifer.  It takes a lot to scare me --”

He knew exactly when she saw him.  Her words fell away, and she stared at him for a long minute.

And then she laughed.

“What the hell...?”  Laughing almost hysterically, she approached him with eyes full of merriment.  “Seriously, Lucifer?  What is this, Halloween?”

He blinked his glowing red eyes at her, stunned.

She reached out and pinched his cheek -- hard.  “Ow!” he cried.

“Wow,” she said, “The latex almost feels real.  And those contacts!  I gotta hand it to you, Lucifer.  You almost had me going there, for a minute.  Kudos.  A++ for effort!”

Unbelievable.  This couldn’t be happening.  “You… you don’t think this is real?!” he asked, incredulous.

“Come on, Lucifer!  I’ve seen movies -- this is nothing!  Next time get your Hollywood friends to make you up as the Predator and then maybe -- _maybe_ \-- I’ll believe you.”  Chloe walked away to get her wrap, chuckling the whole time.  

By the time she returned, his human face had returned -- his pouting, disappointed human face.  Her eyes scanned his features with admiration.  “Wow, not even a hair out of place.  Pretty impressive, Lucifer.”

“Right.  My bloody hair is not exactly what I wanted to impress you with,” he groused unhappily.  Would she _ever_ be impressed?!

Unexpectedly, she leaned forward and gave him a peck on his stubbly cheek.  “You’re sweet,” she said.  “Shall we go?”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

They went to the new nightclub that had opened in West Hollywood, only to find that it was, surprisingly, Disco Night.  Lucifer was appalled and wanted to leave right away, but Chloe, seeing his discomfiture, grabbed his hand and urged him on.

“Come on, Lucifer -- didn’t you know?  Disco is back in!” she yelled over the booming music as they went to find a little table in the corner.

“Bloody hell, Detective, disco is a travesty of music!  The Devil does not dance to bloody disco!” he yelled back.  “No!  Absolutely not!”

Lucifer’s insides did a funny cartwheel as she laughed with immense joy.  “I don’t believe that!  Come on, Mister Nightclub, strut your stuff!”

Grabbing his tie, she pulled him onto the dance floor.  The Bee Gees pounded out some frantic beat and wailed in their falsetto voices over the speakers.  Oh bloody hell.  His eyes glanced left and right as he let out distressing whimpers and cringed.  This could _not_ be happening.  The Devil did not dance to disco!

“Come on, Lucifer!  What are you, afraid?” she taunted.

“The Devil is afraid of nothing!”   _Except perhaps disco,_ a small part of his brain wept.

“Then come on and dance!”

Chloe started dancing before him, looking so happy that he couldn’t deny her anything… but perhaps he could get something out of this hellish nightmare he found himself in.  As she grabbed his hand and tried to get him moving, he pulled her close and said loudly to be heard over the music, “Right.  If I do this, then I want something in return....”

Glancing up with mischievous eyes, she asked, “Like what?”

Lucifer grinned wickedly.  “One slow dance.”

Chloe’s mouth slowly turned up into a big smile and with twinkling eyes she said, “You’re on!”

Just then the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” started up.  Lucifer swung his hips in rhythm to the music, then began dancing seriously to the beat, his moves putting John Travolta’s to shame.  Chloe stood there, mouth agape, as he strutted up to her and grabbed her, twirling her and dancing around her like a peacock doing a ritual mating dance.  Everyone cleared the dance floor and watched from the sidelines as the Devil wowed them with his moves.  Half the time Chloe had her hands covering her face in embarrassment, but she had asked for it, so Lucifer went all out with the disco dancing -- _all out._  When the song ended, he and Chloe got loud applause.

“There, you see?  Not so bad, was it?” she asked laughingly, her cheeks still holding a charming blush.

He grimaced and shuddered.  “Torturous!”

She was still laughing as the slow song, “Always and Forever” by Heatwave started up.  Lucifer’s eyes burned with excitement as he said, “I believe this is our song.”

As the other couples came onto the floor, Chloe placed one hand on his arm, the other on his shoulder, and swayed with the music.  Lucifer leaned close and said, “No, no, no, my dear detective, a _real_ slow dance.”

Repositioning her arms so that they were around his neck, he pulled her body very close to his, so that he could feel every inch of her against him.  Oh, it was such sweet torture!  She felt so good, so soft, and her face was staring up at him with such wonder.  Perhaps the disco dancing had impressed her?  If he had known before, he would have brought her to a disco club much earlier!

But then his insides recoiled at the thought of ever -- _ever_ \-- dancing to disco again.  Perhaps it was a good thing that he hadn’t known before.  He had absolutely no plans to recreate this night again.  Ever.  Well, at least the disco dancing part of it....

But oh, how he wished the slow song would go on forever!  It was unbelievable that he actually held the detective in his arms!  Did this mean she felt something for him?  She wouldn’t have agreed to a slow song if she didn’t, right?  Or... was this just simply a night out with a friend?  Confused, he glanced down at her lovely face -- and his breath caught.  

She had tipped her head back, gazing at him with an expression he had never seen on her face before.  Her smiling eyes were soft, gentle and kind -- the sight of them made his heart beat furiously.  For a long moment they stared at each other, neither one able to look elsewhere.  His eyes fell to her kissable lips, now slightly parted as her smile fell away, then back up to her eyes to find them filled with -- something....  Something he would have called lust, had it been anyone else.  It was something else --

Something was happening. Lucifer didn’t know what it was, but it made his heart pound frantically, like a caged bird was in his chest, struggling to escape.  Their lips were separated only by a few inches.  If he just leaned forward a bit, he could close the gap --

The song ended just then, switching back to some fast Earth, Wind and Fire song, which totally destroyed whatever had been happening between them.  With an uncomfortable laugh, Chloe suddenly pulled back and led him off the dance floor.  

The rest of their stay at the club was... awkward, to say the least.  It was as if the detective had thrown up a wall that Lucifer couldn’t breach.  No matter how he tried, that wonderful... something that he had felt during their slow dance was gone.  She was all business... and it hurt.

As he walked her to her front door at the end of the evening, he couldn’t help but feel that in some way, he had failed her.  Or maybe himself -- he wasn’t sure which.  He only knew that he had had something there on that dance floor, and it slipped through his fingers like sand.

“Thank you for a wonderful night,” Chloe said, turning to him as he opened the front door for her.

“Was it?” Lucifer asked, frowning.

The detective blinked.  “What?”

“Was it a wonderful night?”

With a sigh, she ushered him inside.  “Come in, Lucifer.  We need to talk.”  Taking his hand in hers, she led him to the living room couch.

Oh.  This did not sound good.  Fear suddenly gripped him.  She was going to tell him that she wasn’t in love with him, and that scared him mightily.   Perhaps he should leave, before she could tell him....  But she had his hand in hers, and he couldn’t bring himself to break the contact.  The feel of her soft hand in his made his heart pound a furious beat and filled him with warmth.  He couldn’t let go.  He wouldn’t.

“Lucifer...” she began as they sat down next to each other.  “I like you.  A lot.”

Well, this was a good beginning, was it not?  His heart grew hopeful.

“You can be incredibly childish, which makes me laugh -- sometimes -- but you can be incredibly sweet, as well… and I really like that sweet side of yours.  But...”

Oh bloody hell.  Here it came.  The big “but.”

“I just got out of a relationship with a man who ended up being the biggest jerk in the world.  I’m not ready to jump into another one just yet.”

“Oh.”  He couldn’t keep the disappointment out of his voice as he looked down at their still-clasped hands.

“But....”

But?  Another but?  His head came up at that, hope shining in his face.

“But someday... after we get to know each other better, I really hope we can... start something.”

Oh bloody hell, his heart was beating so furiously he thought it would jump right out of his chest.  A bubbly sensation spread throughout his body, making his insides feel like uncorked champagne.  He wanted to jump up and do cartwheels.  Bloody hell, not just cartwheels, but somersaults and backflips too!

“I... I’d like that,” he managed to say.

“Will you wait?”

Nodding furiously, Lucifer managed to say shakily, “As long as it takes, Detective.”  He was rewarded with her soft hand stroking his cheek.  

And then she was leaning forward, giving him a kiss so sweet that it took his breath away.  He was used to lustful, hungry kisses, but this... this was so much more than that.  Beautiful.  Soft, gentle, filled with... something.  Love?  Was it love?  He didn’t know.  All he knew was that the soft brush of her lips against his was Heaven.  She tasted of Heaven... and home.  His heart filled with such emotion that he couldn’t even move... and at that moment, Lucifer knew that he would never be the same again.

Pulling away, she caressed his cheek once more before whispering, “You can stay tonight if you want -- on the couch, but if you like...?”

He nodded, speechless.  

She rose to her feet and brought out blankets and a pillow for him, and all he could do was gape at her like a complete, twitterpated loon.  Without a doubt, he was casting sheep’s eyes at her as well.  Oh, bloody hell.  He was completely lost in his love for her.

After she went upstairs, he laid out on the couch and replayed the night over and over.  Such wonderful feelings coursed through him that he didn’t think he’d be able to sleep -- and yet he did.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

The next morning, he decided to make her breakfast -- something really special, if she had any ingredients in her refrigerator.  Ambling into her kitchen, he checked her supplies, then started pulling out the fixings for an omelette.  The detective would like that, wouldn’t she?  He was quite proud of his excellent omelettes, even with such a limited food palette to work with.  His heart thumped a mad beat as he thought of her, upstairs in bed with her hair all tousled on her pillow like a halo.  Would she be naked between the sheets?  Or would she be wearing some sexy number?

Grinning like a fool, he stripped off his jacket, tossed it on a nearby chair, and rolled up his sleeves.  As he started cooking, he caught sight of some fresh peppers lying on the counter.  Obviously, someone had grown them and given them to Chloe.  Picking one up, he stuck it in his mouth as he worked, chewing happily.  It wasn’t very spicy, which was a shame.  Earth didn’t have anything hot like Hellfire peppers -- the only plant that dared to grow in Hell.  Now _those_ were spicy peppers!

Feeling someone watching him, he turned as he finished munching on the pepper.  Chloe was standing there, in an old red nightshirt.  She looked so sexy that he felt burning hot arousal course through his veins... until he noticed her staring at him with her mouth agape.

“What?” he asked as he reached for another pepper and popped it into his mouth.

“Lucifer!” she screamed as she ran up to him, trying to get the pepper out of his mouth.  “You can’t be eating those things -- you’ll hurt yourself!”

“Huh?”  Swallowing the fruit, he reached for another and held it between his teeth.  “Right.  Are you saving them for something?”  His face grew concerned; she looked like she was going to faint.  “Detective?  Are you quite all right?”

She lifted a shaking finger, pointing at the peppers on the counter.  “Those are ghost peppers.  You can’t eat those whole like that!  We have to get you to a doctor --”

“Why?”

Chloe just stared at him like he had three heads, horror all over her face.  “My god, Lucifer....  How are you not screaming in agony?!”

“What?”  Pulling the whole pepper from his mouth, he examined it.  “Are you worried about these bad boys, love?  They aren’t very spicy -- Hellfire peppers have much more of a kick.  I’ve found that Carolina reapers are slightly more fiery, but these will do in a pinch.  Want to try?”  He grabbed a pepper off the counter and held it out to her as he popped the other one back into his mouth and ate it.

“That’s not possible....  You can’t be human,” she whispered.  “You -- you really are the Devil....”

“What?”  His face pulled into a puzzled expression and he shook his head.  “What did you say?”

“You really are the Devil,” she repeated, staring at him with amazement.

Lucifer was agog.  “This...?” he asked, pointing to the remaining peppers on the counter.  “This -- _this_ makes you believe I’m the Devil?”  He chuckled.  “Surely you jest!”

Chloe just continued to look at him with big, amazed eyes filled with... horror?

“I -- but -- This can’t --” he sputtered, then stopped.  For a long moment he stared back at her, then suddenly burst out laughing, the sound full of bitterness and anger.  “Bloody hell, I don’t believe this.  I bring you monsters, I show you my Devil face, I try everything to make you believe, but you don’t -- yet _this_ convinces you?”

Studying her face carefully, he saw shock there -- that, and something else.  What was it?  Revulsion?  He didn’t know -- he wasn’t experienced enough with human emotions to be able to tell -- but his panicked brain saw what he feared he would see.  A sudden, sharp spear of hurt impaled his heart, giving him tremendous pain such that he had never felt -- not since the Fall.  What was this horrid ache in his chest?  Was it from his stupid, bloody human emotions?  He cursed them to Hell.  Oh, if only he had never come to this dreaded place....

But hadn’t he wanted her to know that he was the Devil?  He had been trying to tell her ever since they had met!  Yes, that was true... but he had foolishly thought that it would impress her, make her think he was something special.  Never in his wildest dreams did he think she’d look at him with hate and revulsion!  He was not a monster!

“Bloody hell,” he repeated.  Rubbing his face furiously with his hand, he turned off the stove and looked at her, his eyes full of hurt, as well as the fear of losing something he had never before experienced until he met her.  “So now... what?  You don’t want anything to do with me, is that it?”

He didn’t wait for her answer.  Grabbing his jacket off the chair, he snapped, “Right.  I have to leave,” and stormed out.  He heard her call his name, but he didn’t stop.  As he sped off in his Corvette, he muttered to himself, “I’m a fool... a bloody fool.”  The fact that his heart was breaking was something he refused to acknowledge.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Lucifer tried to play the piano, but couldn’t.  Bloody hell, the detective’s rejection had broken something inside of him, and now he couldn’t even plunk out a simple tune.  All he did was stare at the keys as he kept hearing her voice saying, “You really are the Devil,” and seeing her shocked, horrified face.

Reaching over to the top of the piano, he snatched one of the old-fashioned glasses there.  He had placed twenty of them all in a row, overflowing with whiskey, when he had first sat down.  Now only two had liquid in them, which included the one in his hand.  Downing the alcohol in one pull, he slammed the glass back on the glossy black top and returned to staring at the dreaded keys.  Bloody hell, he wished he could get drunk like a human.

The sound of the lift doors opening and closing behind him caught his attention.  Without turning, he snapped, “Now is not a good time, Maze.”

“When _would_ be a good time?”

_Chloe?!_

Lucifer started at the sound of her voice.  A part of him wanted to run to her, wrap her in his arms and never let go.  The other part -- the self-preservation part -- remained seated without turning around, and hid in anger.

“Got the bloody mob behind you, do you?  All ready with their bloody pitchforks and torches?” he snarled bitingly.

He heard her sigh.  Her soft footsteps approached until she stood behind him, but he kept her back to her.  The fear and revulsion on her face were things he never wanted to see again.  When she sat down on the bench beside him with her back facing the piano, she startled him, but he kept his eyes averted.

“Show me,” Chloe said.

“No.”

Her hand grabbed his sleeve, and shook his arm.  “Show me,” she insisted.

Tearing his arm out of her grasp, he said bitterly, “Why?  So that you can scream and jump off the bloody balcony?  No, thank you.”

The weight of her head against his shoulder shook him to the core.  She was… leaning on him?  But... didn’t she hate and revile him?  Frozen at her touch, Lucifer just sat there like a loon, sneaking a peek at her through the corner of his eyes.  All he could see was her blonde hair.  Bloody hell, he didn’t know what this meant!

“You’ve been telling the truth all this time....”

The sound of her voice was beautiful, like music, but it pained him to hear it.  Was she getting ready to say goodbye?  To cast him aside for someone who wasn’t the Devil?  His heart was already in pieces -- he couldn’t take much more.  But oh... for just these few moments before she left his life forever, he’d cherish every second.  Every feel.  Every sound.  Warmth and agony intermingled in his chest.  His heart felt so heavy and full of pain that he thought that surely this was how dying felt.

“You’ve never lied to me, have you?” Chloe asked quietly.

Swallowing hard, he replied, “I told you, Detective: I will never lie to you.”

He felt her nod against his shoulder.  “Then let me see, Lucifer.”

Squeezing his eyes shut, he whispered sadly, “You’ll be frightened.”

“It takes a lot to frighten me.”

Nodding once, he brought his Devil face forth, and turned to look at Chloe.  Her head lifted from his shoulder, and she stared at him.  Her beautiful face was so close -- only a few inches away.  His breath caught in his chest as his eyes roved over her features, trying desperately to memorize every inch of her.

She didn’t flinch at his looks.  Instead she reached out and stroked his cheek with gentle fingers.  Closing his eyes at the feel of her caress, Lucifer indulged in her touch.  Self preservation screamed at him to move, to protect himself from the revulsion she would surely express, yet he could not bring himself to leave the range of her fingers.  

“This doesn’t scare me,” Chloe said as she tipped his chin up so that he could meet her eyes.  

His insides quivered from fear and... was it hope?  Emotions ran rampant within him, pulling him up and down and all over the place.  The fallen angel didn’t know what he felt -- only that he standing on an emotional knife edge: on one side was love, and on the other, an abyss of fear, pain and self-hatred.  Which side would he end up on?  

Hiding his feelings in humor, Lucifer joked, “Because it looks fake?”  Was that his voice?  All thin and wobbly?

Chloe smiled.  “Well, it still doesn’t look quite real, but no....  This doesn’t scare me because I know what you really are.”

He was almost afraid to ask.  “And what am I really?”

“A good man.”

A good man.  He had never been called that before, in all the eons of his life.  Warmth shot through his chest at her statement, as did a wealth of emotions: fierce joy, gratitude, love.  So humbling were those three tiny words that he wanted to take her in his arms and cry like a baby.

Straightening, he pushed back his emotions and gave her a weak semblance of his old, devilish grin.  “Well....”  He couldn’t come up with any quips, so he just let the word peter out and brought his human semblance to the fore.

Letting Chloe watch him change back made him feel a little vulnerable, but a quick glance in her eyes showed nothing but acceptance and... awe?  Was she... could it be... had he finally impressed her?

“I’m glad you showed me your face before I found out the truth,” she said.  “It takes a lot of courage to do so, and I like a man who is not afraid to show me who he really is.”

Lucifer closed his eyes briefly and sent up a heartfelt “thank you” to Godzilla.  The big lizard had been right, and now he owed him another playdate with the little spawn, as well as chocolate cake.  It had been worth it, though.  He’d get the big bloke the largest cake he’d ever seen in his entire reptilian life!

“I appreciate that you’ve never lied -- not like... some people,” Chloe continued.  “You make Trixie happy.  You take care of me.  You’re a good man, and I wasn’t lying when I said that I like you.  A lot.  I still do.  I hope....”

She hoped?  She had hopes too?  Lucifer thought his heart was going to explode out of his chest as his emotions soared to the very reaches of Heaven.

“I hope that after we get to know each other better, we can still... start... something.”

The fallen angel’s very insides danced for joy; he felt like he had just touched the sun.  Smiling brilliantly at her, he said, “I hope so, too.”

“You don’t mind waiting a bit, until I get to know you better?”

Lucifer’s eyebrows lifted at that.  “My dear Detective, after all the time we’ve spent together, you still don’t know me?”

With a pensive smile she shook her head.  “I don’t even know your favorite color.”

He barked out a laugh full of amusement.  “Why, red, my dear!  What other color would be the Devil’s favorite?”

Chloe chuckled and leaned against his arm.  She sighed and said, “I’m sorry about earlier -- you caught me off-guard.  I was horrified to see you eating those ghost peppers.  I thought I’d have to rush you to the hospital!  And then it finally dawned on me who you are... and you are so different from what people make you out to be.  I was shocked.”

A small, fearful part of him had to ask, “Were you repulsed?”

She gaped at him.  “Of course not!  Just shocked!  I mean, come on, Lucifer, wouldn’t you be shocked if you just found out the Devil was in your kitchen, making you breakfast while eating peppers that could kill a person?”

“My dear, who else but the Devil would be in my kitchen?”

The detective punched him playfully.  “You know what I mean.”

For a long moment they were silent, just leaning against each other with their foreheads touching.  Lucifer felt such a swell of love for Chloe that it was all he could do not to kiss her senseless and make love to her right there on the piano.  He knew she needed time to get to know him, but he also knew that his heart was forever hers from this moment on.  No matter what happened, he would love her until the end of time.

With a big sigh, Chloe pulled herself to her feet.  “I better get going.”

The sudden movement caught the fallen angel off-guard, and he scrambled to stand as well, rounding the piano bench to stand before her.  “So soon?”

She nodded.  “I have to pick up Trixie from her sleepover.”

Lucifer didn’t want her to go.  He knew she had to, but his riotous emotions needed some soothing from her before she left.  “Detective,” he started tentatively.

“Yes?”

“Can you....  Would it be all right if...?”

Chloe cocked her head.  “What is it, Lucifer?”

Looking deep into her eyes, he asked, “Would you... kiss me?  Just to make sure you’re not afraid --”

Her lips gently touching his cut off his words.  There it was again -- Heaven in her sweet kiss!  Knowing she was not ready for anything more, he didn’t deepen the kiss even though his body screamed for it, but he did put his hands on her waist and held her close.  

Pulling away, she gave a little laugh.  “I better go now, before I do something stupid.”

Oh, that sentence thrilled him, filled him with hope -- perhaps the detective was not as immune to him as she always seemed to be!  “And what might ‘stupid’ constitute?” Lucifer asked with a devilish grin.

“I’m not saying,” she said with a laugh.

“Cheeky,” he whispered as his hand caressed the side of her face.  The blush that blossomed on her features fascinated him, and he pressed his lips against her cheek to feel the gentle heat rising there.  “Right.  I’ll walk you to your car.”

Surprise lit her eyes.  “Oh, no, you don’t have to --”

“No, I don’t... but I want to,” he rumbled in his sultry voice.  He brightened at the deepening red on her face.  Could she finally be starting to get affected by him?  He hoped so -- oh how he hoped so!  “Come,” he said as he offered her his arm.  She took it with a smile; the feel of her hand tucked in the crook of his elbow made him want to do backflips, but he refrained.  For now.

“So... all those monsters you’ve been showing me are real?” she asked as they walked to the lift.

“Of course, my dear,” Lucifer said with a nod, which stopped Chloe dead in her tracks.  He glanced at her, puzzled.  “What’s wrong?”

“I just realized -- I kicked Godzilla in the face,” she said with a grimace.

The fallen angel laughed.  “Don’t worry, love.  The big beast is fine.  In fact, he was the one who told me to show you my Devil appearance.  Now I owe him chocolate cake, and another playdate with your little one.”

Chloe’s eyebrows raised at that.  “Chocolate cake and a playdate?”

“Yes.  I’ll formally introduce you when we see him next,” Lucifer said.

“I’d like that,” as they started to walk again.  When they stepped into the elevator, Chloe said, “Wait... so if they’re real, does that mean you’ve been letting Trixie play with giant monsters all this time?!  What the hell, Lucifer!  My daughter could have been killed!”

Lucifer watched Chloe’s eyes narrow in anger and felt arousal burn through him like a wildfire at her indignation.  What a spitfire -- and she was all his!  Or would be, eventually.  Bracing himself for the exciting explosion about to happen, he grinned as the elevator doors shut behind them.

 

 

 


End file.
